Twisted Shadows
by InsanelyHappy
Summary: Raven is fed up with having to suppress her emotions, and when her powers go on the fritz she jumps at the chance when someone offers to help her. But are these strangers all that they seem to be? And what will the price of their help be? Beast BoyRaven
1. Breach

By InsanelyHappy

A/N: This is my first Teen Titans fan fiction, so bear with me. There will be a Raven/Beast Boy pairing later, but it will build up to it, so right now there are only hints. Read and, hopefully, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans in any way or form.

**Twisted Shadows**

_Chapter One: Breach_

Meditating, Raven prepared herself for the trials to come. Her mind filled with a thousand responses to any given situation, critically analyzing the possible flaws in each plan. Steeling her resolve, Raven opened her eyes, ready for what was to come. It was time.

Her silent feet carried her through the hallways of the T-shaped tower, placing her firmly before the dreaded door. Inhaling deeply, she calmed her nerves as the door slid open with a soft hiss.

The room was in utter chaos. Shouts could be heard from before the large television set, where the three boys were playing a video game. In the kitchen area, an enormous mass of something purple and fuzzy was creeping across the floor. Starfire had undoubtedly been concocting some sort of alien recipe again. However, the whereabouts of the Tameranean was a mystery.

"Raven!" the cheerful voice of said person called.

Raven could not see the red head anywhere. Her violet eyes were drawn once more upon the purple creation, and Raven had to restrain herself from recoiling away from it. _Disgusting_, she thought, _it's actually moving._

A hand shot out of the mess, grasping Raven's ankle.

"Ah, there you are, Starfire," Raven greeted, as she helped the girl to wriggle out of the vast purple thing. "What is that?" Raven inquired, indicating Starfire's former captor.

Smiling, Starfire announced, "Isn't it fabulous? It is glabnak." Scooping some of the jiggling mess into her hands, she thrust it towards Raven eagerly. "Try some!"

Raven stared at it warily. There was no doubt about it, the glabnak was definitely moving. As she scrambled for an excuse, Raven was saved by a loud shout.

"Booya! In your face, BB!" Cyborg crowed in delight.

"No fair!" Beast Boy whined. "You cheated!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Sensing Starfire's distraction, Raven glided from the room. It was _way_ too dangerous in there. This was the fifth time this week that Starfire had tried to force Raven to sample one of her recipes, and it was only Monday. Shuddering at the thought, Raven headed for the roof as she decided that she needed some fresh air.

* * *

"You liar! I know you cheated!" Beast Boy yelled at Cyborg.

"No, I didn't," Cyborg growled in annoyance. "BB, it's just a game."

"Just a game!" Beast Boy howled angrily. "Just a game! Then why don't you take it and shove it up -!"

"Beast Boy!" Robin snapped. "That's enough."

Beast Boy drew in a breath, and was about to make a heated retort, when he realized that he was making a fool out of himself. Grumbling in frustration, he stomped out of the room. He decided that he just needed some air as he stalked towards the stairs that would bring him out onto the roof.

* * *

The breeze ran its cool fingers through Raven's bluish-purple hair, gently massaging her scalp. Eyes closed in contentment, Raven lay on her back, allowing the sunlight to wash over her, soaking in its warmth. The slightest of smiles tugged at her thin lips as she let her mind wander aimlessly. A shadow passed over her. Opening her eyes, Raven stared up at a certain green boy.

"Sorry," Beast Boy apologized uncertainly. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

Sitting up, Raven shrugged indifferently. "It doesn't matter." Noting his unusually humorless mood, she asked, "What's bothering you?"

Sighing, Beast Boy sat down beside her. "Nothing," he muttered. Catching her skeptical glance, he continued, "Okay, so there is something. But it's pretty stupid."

"Tell me. You'll feel better when you're done," Raven promised.

Clearing his throat hesitantly, Beast Boy admitted, "I yelled at Cyborg. I don't know why, but I was just so angry. And it was all over some stupid game." Looking sidelong at the silent Raven, he added quickly, "Pretty stupid, wasn't it?"

Turning to stare him in the eyes, Raven said, "No. You got mad, so what? Everyone does, at one point or another."

He grinned appreciatively and then said, "But not you! You are always so… So calm."

Raven's face clouded over with the memories of the times when her emotions had escaped, and she had lost control of herself. Tilting her gaze up towards the white clouds, Raven replied, "Is that so? That's not what I remember."

Beast Boy put his hand on Raven's shoulder, in what would have been a comforting gesture.

Instead, Raven gasped and jerked away from his touch as she felt something invade her mind. Clutching her head in pain, she clenched her eyes tightly shut as she felt whatever it was pressing its way further into her consciousness. Gritting her teeth to keep from screaming, she heard Beast Boy's voice as if from a great distance. She concentrated on him, using him as an anchor to keep her tied to the world of reality. Savagely shoving the malevolent force with her will, she felt it give way and retreat. As the pain in her head subsided, Raven opened her eyes and saw Beast Boy's worried face watching her intently.

"Raven, are you alright? What happened?" he asked in concern.

Passing a shaking hand over her face, Raven asked herself that very same question. _What had happened?_ She didn't want to worry her teammates, and her instincts were telling her that she shouldn't tell anyone about the force that had breached her mind. Nodding vaguely, Raven replied, "I'm… I'm fine. I just had a headache, that's all."

* * *

Raven went to bed early that night, after avoiding the anxious looks that Beast Boy had kept shooting her. She had continued throughout the day as if nothing was wrong but, though she could fool the others by acting as she usually did, she could not hide the truth from herself. Something serious had happened back there on the roof. Raven wasn't sure herself of what exactly had happened, but she had a bad feeling about it. Never before had an entity entered her mind, and she was determined to make sure that she never repeated the experience.

* * *

A/N: First chapter completed on March 21, 2005. Yayness! Well, I am quite pleased with it, but I would love feed back, feel free to comment on ways that I can improve it, as I'm always looking to improve. This is going to lead up to some BB/Rae stuff, as you might have noticed, but in this chapter it is pretty slow moving. I will slowly pick up the pace, and by the third chapter I plan to have a major twist, so hang in there. I'm royally ticked, I actually had the second chapter written (I was going to use it as my first chapter, but then I decided that I needed to start differently), and I had it saved onto a CD thing, but somehow it got deleted. Really, I am furious. Everything I had saved on it got deleted! I was going to wait to post this chapter, but I don't feel like losing this one too (although I have put it on my email as a back-up). I don't know when I will update, so if you like the story please be patient.

Yours truly, InsanelyHappy.


	2. Nightmare

By InsanelyHappy

A/N: Thank you very much to those of you who reviewed, it was much appreciated (and encouraging). Now, on to the chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans in any way or form.

**Twisted Shadows**

Chapter Two: Nightmare

It had taken her hours to finally settle down, but Raven finally drifted into the realm of dreams. However, it was but a mockery of sleep, for it was a restless slumber, wrought with doubt and fear.

_

* * *

_

An inferno. Fire burned below her, curling hungrily upward. It would devour her, if given the chance. But, no, she was safe inside of an orb of her own magic, protected from the greedy flames.

_Heat. Too hot! Raven blinked, and when her eyes opened once more she found that she was surrounded by fire. She shrieked in pain as the flames bit into her flesh. Writhing, Raven struggled to muster her power in order to repel the blaze, but found that she was unable to do so. Through the haze of her suffering, Raven briefly realized that the fire had been inside of her barrier all along. By shielding herself, she had ensured her own downfall. _

"Help!" she cried in desperation. "Somebody, help me!"

"You must come to me," a gentle, feminine voice murmured. Blinded by the intensity of the fire, Raven could not see the speaker. "Come. I'll be waiting," the woman promised.

Finally, Raven's mind broke beneath the burden of her agony, and her body was left with only primal instincts to guide it; Raven screamed.

* * *

Raven's eyes flew open as she woke from her nightmare, and a terrified cry tore from her body. Struggling, Raven found that her sheets had twisted themselves about her, just as the flames which she could still feel upon her skin had done.

After some time, Raven calmed enough to slow the frantic beating of her heart. It was only then that she noticed that several objects- a mirror, a brush, and a book- were levitating in the air, and that each item was surrounded by the dark aura of her power. Focusing her mind, Raven used her ability to return each object to its original position, and then to untangle the sheets that bound her so tightly.

"It was just a nightmare. It wasn't real," Raven rasped, as she slipped her feet onto the cool, comforting floor. Pressing her palm against her forehead, Raven hissed in surprise when she felt a painful twinge in her hand. Staring in the darkness, Raven made out the unmistakable signs of a burn upon her palm. It was small, only about the size of a nickel, but it was there nonetheless. Raven began to tremble. _What was going on? If the fire had only been a dream, how could she possibly be burned?_ She sat, and Raven concentrated on the scorch mark, watching intently as she used her magic to heal the injury. Afterwards, she stayed that way for a long time, puzzling over what meaning this event could hold.

Finally, Raven tore her gaze from her hand and rubbed her sore throat. "I'd best get a drink," she croaked hoarsely. "Tea would be nice."

Exiting her room, Raven padded softly down the hall. She shivered slightly as she thought that she saw the outlines of flames dancing wickedly upon the walls. Shaking her head to clear her mind of such nonsense, Raven was relieved to reach the kitchen.

The room was dark, but Raven didn't mind. With practiced ease, she busied her hands with preparing tea. Taking her cup, she sat on the couch and watched through the window as the rain dripped down outside. Raven sipped slowly on her drink and allowed the silence of the night to sooth her.

The hush was disturbed by a rush of air as the door slid open once more. Raven glanced up from her tea, and saw Beast Boy enter the room. His hair was mussed up, and he walked with the slow shuffle of someone who was still half asleep. Yawning, he stretched his arms above his head.

"What are you doing up?" Raven asked softly. Pleased, she realized that her voice sounded much better than the rasp it had been when she first woke.

Beast Boy started, for he had obviously not noticed Raven sitting in the shadows. Flicking on the light switch, he squinted against the sudden brightness. "I couldn't sleep," he said, and then gave a short shrug. Opening the fridge, he peered inside. "Nasty," he muttered, pulling out some of the purple substance that filled it. Holding stuff up to the light, he asked, "What is this stuff?"

Raven recognized it immediately. "I'd put that back, if I were you," she cautioned. "That's one of Starfire's creations. She called it glabnak."

Beast Boy placed it back quickly. "Ew," he said, horrified, "it just moved!" He closed the refrigerator door and backed away from it, saying, "I think I'm scarred for life."

Raven couldn't help but smirk at that. "I know exactly what you mean," she replied. Her tea gone, she rose and put her cup in the sink. Feeling her lack of sleep beginning to catch up with her, she said, "I'll see you in the morning. Right now, I'm going back to bed."

Beast Boy nodded vigorously, saying, "Good idea. Besides, I don't want to stay in the same room with that… Thing." Shuddering, he cast one final aghast look at the fridge, and then accompanied Raven as she left the room. They walked in silence down the hall, until at last they reached Raven's door.

"Well," she said, "this is my stop. Goodnight, Beast Boy." The door slid open, and she was about to step inside when Beast Boy's voice called her back.

"Raven? Are you sure that you're okay?"

"I'm fine," she assured him, skillfully masking her unease.

"Really?" he pressed. "Because you look terrible."

"Oh, wow, thanks," Raven drawled. Turning, she returned to her room, repeating, "Goodnight, Beast Boy."

The door shut abruptly, leaving a very confused changeling to stand alone in the dark, feeling rather foolish. It was only then that he realized that he hadn't asked Raven why _she_ had been up.

* * *

A/N: Chapter two completed on March 27, 2005. I did that quicker than I had expected, so I hope that it didn't lack in quality. This chapter was pretty slow, not to mention that it was shorter than the first, but the dream was important. I find it very aggravating that this doesn't post exactly how I write it; I _like_ the indents, thank you very much, so why does it take them out? Anyways, please leave a review, I always love to hear what people have to say about my story. Oh, and by the way, Happy Easter!


	3. Glimmers of Hope

By InsanelyHappy

A/N: It took me a long time, but I've finally gotten around to completing another chapter. I found this lying around on my computer, so I figured that I may as well post it up. I'm pretty busy lately with work and school, but I promise to try to update. I do hate to leave a story unfinished.

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans in any way or form.

**Twisted Shadows**

_Chapter Three: Glimmers of Hope_

As the gray light of dawn seeped through the window, a girl stirred in her bed. A week had passed since that fateful day on the roof. A week full of nightmares, and of dreams with a gentle voice promising salvation.

_This time, the nightmare consisted of swarms of grasshoppers crawling across Raven's skin, their wings clicking busily in her ears. Scratching legs pressed against her arms. Her eyes were open, and all she could see were the little green and brown insects, their beady black eyes staring at her with malice. Opening her mouth to scream, Raven choked and gagged as the insects swarmed into her mouth, crawling down her throat and filling her lungs._

_"Come to me," urged that gentle feminine voice, and for a brief instant Raven could see a pale, elegant hand stretched towards her. Much though Raven wished to obey, the collective weight of the grasshoppers weighed her limbs down, making it impossible to move. "Come to me. . ." the voice whispered, before fading beneath the infernal buzzing of the insects._

_Raven's lungs were bursting now, screaming for air and violently shuddering against the progress of the grasshoppers. Vessels in her brain were exploding, and still she could do nothing. Tears streamed down her face, to be lapped up greedily by her tormentors._

Raven woke with a start, the now familiar cry on her lips. Coughing fitfully, she felt something fly from her mouth. She stared with dread, and there it was, just as she knew it would be. A single grasshopper lay among her bed sheets, gazing up at her coldly. Sobbing in disgust, Raven stumbled from her bed, tripping in her haste and crashing to the ground. There she lay for some time, shuddering on the floor as silent sobs wracked her body.

"I can't take this anymore!" she gasped finally, wiping her watering eyes on her arm. Moaning, she forced herself to her feet, and crept over to the mirror on her bed stand. A cool basin of water sat beside it, shimmering in the dull gloom. Slipping her trembling hands into the water, Raven splashed it onto her face. This act had become somewhat of a ritual over the last week. Letting the droplets of liquid drip from her face, Raven stared into the mirror. A pale face looked back at her, with eyes that spoke of haunted dreams. Dark shadows played across this face, a testimony to the horrors that had played in her mind.

For a week, the nightmares had come. Each was different, and yet the same. The first had come in the form of fire, the second in an avalanche of stone. In the third Raven had drowned in a sea of sand, and in the next she had found herself bound like a mummy of ancient Egypt. And so the visions had continued, and always she perished in a horrible manner, powerless to save herself. And still, there was a glimmer of hope. The voice. Always, a woman's voice promised to help Raven, urging her to come.

A bitter smile crept across Raven's reflection. What a laugh. No one could help her, and that was the truth. She had thought of telling the other Teen Titans. They were, after all, the closest thing that she had to a real family. But always, something deep within Raven stopped her. What would they say? Perhaps they would think she was crazy. Raven grimaced. Maybe that was true. If she couldn't trust her friends, who could she trust?

The image of the caring hand from her nightmare, a glimmer of hope that reached out to help her, flashed through her mind. Shaking her head, Raven banished such notions. No. This was something that she would just have to face alone. Dressing quickly, Raven shouldered the weight of her burden, lifting her chin defiantly.

"I'll do this alone," Raven ground out in determination, as if saying it aloud would make everything alright again. Squaring her shoulders, she stepped from the relative safety of her room, and met the day.

* * *

The morning passed rather uneventfully, the only scare coming when Silkie, Starfire's unusual pet larvae, found the left over glabnak. Had not Robin intervened, there could have been a giant, mutated Silkie problem sitting in their living room. Luckily, that incident passed without mishap. For her part, Raven spent the morning curled up in a comfortable chair, her nose buried in a book. Just when she was really starting to get into the story, the silence was shattered as the alarm sounded, and the lights began to flash red. 

Robin was the first to respond, as per usual. "Titans, trouble!"

As the group of teenagers assembled, Cyborg noted, "Looks like the alert came from the Jump City Correctional Facility, over on the East side." Squinting at the computer screen, he continued, "Says here that Gizmo, Jinx and Mammoth broke out of there about five minutes ago. "

Robin smirked. "Well, then let's go put them back."

* * *

A/N: And that's the end of that chapter. Pretty short, I know, but all of my chapters basically are. Thanks for reading! Tell me what you think; I'd love to hear it. I'm always trying to improve, so any suggestions would be appreciated. If you see any spelling mistakes, etc., please let me know so that I can fix them. Thanks. 


	4. Will You Come?

By: InsanelyHappy

A/N: I got this random urge to start writing again today, after months upon months of having lost interest. Definitely feels good to have to old creative juices flowing once more. I'm not sure if I am happy with this chapter, I never was good at writing fighting scenes, so instead I focused on describing things. Hopefully that worked.

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans in any way or form.

**Twisted Shadows**

_Chapter Four: Will You Come?_

When the Titans arrived at the scene, the escaped Hive members had already begun a thorough job of causing both destruction and havoc. Raven felt a swell of rage as she saw the damage to her home city, acutely aware of the cries of fear that those powerless to defend themselves made. In response to the sudden swell of emotion, Raven's power, that which was her birthright, nudged against the mental barrier she had built, seeking to meet destruction with destruction.

_Wait_, Raven admonished sternly, as if silently addressing a poorly behaved child, _the time for that will come_, _when_ I _say it is time._

As if on queue, Jinx spun into view, performing an acrobatic display that would have impressed Raven, had it not been wrecking everything that her bad luck touched. Following her lead blundered Mammoth, the street quaking and buckling beneath his powerful stomps. Last to follow was Gizmo, an imp with a knack for mechanics. Supported by spider-like metal legs, Gizmo leered at the Titans, a cocky smirk playing across his boyish face. Despite his childish appearance, Gizmo was not one to be underestimated. Surely he had not spent his time behind bars twiddling his thumbs, Raven knew, but had most likely come up with some new invention to use against the city of Jump.

"Well, well, look who showed up to join the party," Jinx purred, her voice a mix of poison and honey. Her eyes, those of a cat, fixed on each Titan in turn, measuring weaknesses.

"Jinx!" Robyn shouted, already knowing what the answer would be, "turn yourself in, and no one needs to get hurt. Come quietly, we don't want to fight you."

"Never," snarled Gizmo, stepping forward with sharp clicks of his metallic legs. "Do you think we would have broken out of that skuzz hole, only to go back peacefully?" His voice fairly dripped with loathing and sarcasm, "You really are as stupid as you look, Robyn."

"Then you leave us no choice," Robyn warned, his voice hardening as he reached for his bow staff. "Teen Titans, go!"

Both sides surged forward with frightening speed, battle cries ringing. The clash of metal on metal announced that Gizmo and Cyborg had met, fist on claw. Robyn was mixed in the fray, judging by the witty banter exchange between Gizmo and himself, trading filthy insult for insult. Nearby, Mammoth roared with a primal rage, slamming fists the size of garbage bin lids on the pavement, which rippled like waves of water from the impact. Starfire flew overhead and dropped Beast Boy, who then ironically transformed into a woolly mammoth in the blink of an eye, landing straight onto Mammoth's thick head with a crash.

As for herself, Raven hovered into the air, feeling the now familiar sensation of her feet leaving the solid ground. Her dark, secretive violet eyes locked onto Jinx's bright, electric pink eyes. Somehow, it seemed almost fitting that the two should clash.

"What are you waiting for?" Jinx hissed, tauntingly stepping towards Raven, her wretched bad luck sparking around tightly clenched fists in a shower of pink whips. "Come and play."

"As you wish," Raven replied coolly, while allowing some of the power that scrabbled to be released to wrap around a nearby fire hydrant, like a black velvet glove. With a show of utter force of will, Raven wrenched the cap off of it, so that a burst of water erupted forth and caught Jinx a powerful blow in the stomach.

"Aaaaaagh!" Jinx screamed, thrown off her feet and slamming into the ground ten feet back from where she had started. Water streamed down her face, making her mascara run in ugly black smears. Slow to get back up, it was obvious that the blow had hurt not only her rear, but also her pride. Glaring at Raven through sopping wet hair, she growled between clenched teeth, "Oh, you'll regret that, you little brat. I'll make you pay!" Tremors of rage ran down her spine. It seemed that Jinx was about retaliate with a fierce attack, when a strange light came to her eyes. "No, I have a better idea. Gizmo!"

A pained yelp from said boy was heard as Cyborg's fist met flesh, before Gizmo yelled back, "What! I'm kind of busy here!"

"I think it's time that we showed our friends your new toy," Jinx purred, relaxing her shoulders from their previously tense state, confident now in her teams ability to win with the use of this new gadget.

She couldn't help it, but Raven also felt herself relaxing. She should probably keep fighting Jinx, keeping her too occupied to use this new device… Yet, something stayed her hand. Curiosity, Raven reflected wryly, had always been her greatest asset, as well as her greatest weakness. She would wait to see what this new "toy" was.

Gizmo chucked harshly, still fighting Robyn and Cyborg. It took him a moment, but soon he was able to toss a small object to Jinx, which she caught deftly in the palm of her delicate, pale hand. "You know what to do," he instructed, before getting a left hook in the jaw for his pains, courtesy of Robyn.

"Raven, be careful!" Robyn shouted. "We don't know what that thing is, or what it can do!" Soon, however, he was once more caught up in his own battle, and so was forced to have faith that Raven could take care of herself.

Jinx giggled lightly, a cutting edge hidden behind the lace of her voice. "Oh, let me explain it to you then, dear Raven. This here," she held up a small black ball, which was perfectly round and only about the size of her thumb, "is the most ingenious little device you'll ever see. I mean, with it I can quite easily defeat you." Seeing the doubt in Raven's eyes, Jinx laughed in delight. "You don't think so? Then, I'll just have to show you!" With that, Jinx quickly moved into action, before Raven had any time to react. Jinx hurled the little orb straight at Raven, zapping it with a bit of bad luck before it reached her.

Reflexively, Raven held out her hands in front of her, and caught the ball before it could strike her between the eyes. "What the," Raven gasped, shocked by its sheer iciness. It was like her hand was on fire, it was that cold. Raven instantly dropped the orb, except that, to her horror, it wouldn't fall from her hand. No matter how she shook her hand, the ball was still there, looking perfectly innocent, yet chilling her to her very core with an alarming speed. "C-c-cold," Raven gasped, falling to the ground from her lofty perch in the air, "s-so c-c-cold…" Instinctively, Raven curled into a fetal position in an attempt to maintain her warmth, which was rapidly fading. Ice crystals formed on her eye lashes, much to her shock and dismay. All of this was happening in a matter of seconds, and soon her already pale skin was turning a sickly shade of blue. As her breathing began to take on a ragged quality, Raven noted that her breath was coming out in a sort of white, foggy mist, frozen before it even left her mouth. "H-help-p-p," Raven whispered, feeling her eyes drifting shut in a frightening final way. "P-please, s-s-someone, h-help m-me…" Even the act of speech was rapidly becoming too much of an effort for her frozen body. A wave of utter exhaustion swept over her as darkness began to creep in on the edges of her vision.

"No one can hear you, darling," Jinx purred, somewhere near Raven's ear. "Mammoth and Gizmo are keeping your precious Titan friends busy at the moment… It's just you and me here."

Unbidden tears welled up in Raven's eyes, spilling onto her cheeks, where they rapidly froze. _No, this can't be happening, _Raven thought frantically, _there must be a way to stop her. There must be a way…_

"_Come to me," the whispered voice entered Raven's mind, an answer to her prayers. "I will save you, if but only you will come to me. Let me help you, Raven. Will you come?"_

"Yes," Raven sighed, her eyes closing finally, "I will come."

* * *

A/N: So, that's my update for now. I'll hopefully update again soon. Until then, chow. Thanks for reading, I hope that it didn't disappoint. Please leave a review! 


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